1. Don't think. Just write. Whatever words come on the page, let them fly.
Don't edit or revise, just keep writing. Even if the words you write are "I don't know what I'm writing. What should he do next? Maybe he should fight a ninja?" Those words count!
2. Word Sprints: word sprints are where you set a timer for 1 minute, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes. It can be however long you want that is shorter than 20 minutes. Then write for that length of time and don't stop writing! Seriously...you can't stop. If you stop writing before the timer goes off your fingers will fall off. That's why we use short times. Even if what you write is "AAAHHHH the timer, I can't stop, but I must stop, what shall I do? What would my character do if she had a timer that wouldn't let her stop running?" These writing sprints are designed to get you writing and get past that initial fear and uncertainty. View it like a warm-up and if you don't have much time, then do a sprint to count as your writing session for that day.
3. Chart your progress: Create a calendar or chart for yourself and use stickers or crayons or colored pencils to make it exciting and cross of the days. Make the chart something about writing that you are keeping track of. Maybe it's how many words you wrote that day? Maybe it's how long you wrote for? Maybe it's how many word sprints you did and how many words you got in each sprint? The goal is to create a gauge of how much you are writing and what your writing habit looks like. That's how you will know where and how you can improve.
Happy Writing!
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